Rod-packing



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. P. 8v J. T.. MARTIN.

ROD PACKING.

Patented Mar. 8, 1892.

WMe/ 7461? Willi@ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS P. MARTIN, OF EASTON, AND JOHN T. MARTIN, OF SCRANTON,

PENNSYLVANIA.

ROD-PACKING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,305, dated March 8, 1892.

Application tiled March 11.1890. Renewed December 19, 1890. Again renewed June 30, 1891. Again renewed January 12, 1892.

Serial No, 417,843.

States, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rod-Packing, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to that class of rodpacking shown and described in the United States Letters Patent granted to Francis P. Martin, dated the 7th day ot' January, 1890, No. 418,802.

lIt is the purpose of our invention to provide a packing for the piston-rods and valvestems of steam-engines and other similar mechanism havingl such construction that the packing ring or rings will be compressed upon such rod or stem by the force of the steam thrown in upon the same side of the pistonand said compression relieved when said force of steam is exhausted, whereby the frictional or packing contact is relieved during the whole of the back-stroke of the pistonrod Iand the wear of the parts materially economized.

It is a further purpose of our invention to provide a rod-packing whereby the necessity of the stuffing-boxes ordinarily employed shall be wholly avoided, and which may be applied either to novel constructions organized with special view to the features of the device or adapted to the old form of cylinder or valvechest heretofore used, a perfectly-tight steampacking being produced in all cases and under all pressures, with a marked reduction in friction and with a material economy in wear and in the construction of lubricating material.

It is our purpose, also, to provide a novel construction of metallic packing rings whereby said rings maybe made in one or more parts and may be contracted or closed upon the rod or stem by an elastic force comprised or contained within the ring itself, which force may be utilized either separately or in conjunction with the compression of steam acting upon the outer face of said ring or rings.

It is our purpose, also, to provide a novel (No model.)

and simple construction and combination of parts whereby a new and improved system of packing may be applied to rods or stems of any length and upon glands of anyknown or novel form without material change in organization.

This invention consists to these ends in the several novel features of construction and new combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, and then definitely pointed out in the claims which follow this specification.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to practice our said invention, we will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an axial section showing our invention as applied to a known or old form of cylinder or valve-chest. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of Fig. l on the line in said figure. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken in the axial line of the rod or stem and showing the application of the invention to cylinders or chests especially constructed therefor. Fig. 4 is a transverse section in thelineyy of Fig. l3. Fig. 5 is a sectional View of a modified construction. Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing a furthermodification. Fig. 7 is a similar view showing a further change in construction. Figs. 8, 9, and lO are plan views of packing-rings, showing various constructions whereby the ring may be compressed to give a close packing either by the force of the steam or by the power of an independent spring or similar elastic agent located in the body of the ring and operating thereon either separately or in conjunction with the compressing force of the steam. Fig.A 11 is a transverse section of the ring and its contained spring, said section being taken upon the line .e .z in Fig. 10.

In th e said drawings, the reference-numeral l designates the cylinder-head or wall of the valve-chest or pressure-chamber, as the case may be, it being noted that in ordinary or known constructions a gland is formed upon the exterior of the chamber-head or valvechest, which will be sufficiently indicated by the reference-numeral 2, Fig. 2. Vithin this gland 2 is inserted a cylindrical shell 3, fitting with reasonable accuracy therein and having its inserted end preferably seated upon a ring el, having its face which lies next the head l dressed ott to give an annular concave recess 5 adjacent to the head. This ring is internally grooved for the reception of a packing-ring 6, the said ring having the peculiar construction hereinafter described.

Through the ring et, at suitable intervals and parallel with the axis of the rod, are drilled steam-openings 7, which communicate with radial passages S, opening behind the packing-ring 0, whereby the steam-pressure will force the ring, which is elett for such purpose, closely against the outer face of the rod or stem 9, which may be either a pistonrod or valve-stein or other rod passing into a pressure-chamber. lVhen the gland is of the length ordinarily used, we may employ an auxiliary internal ring or sleeve 10, consisting of a cylindrical metallic shell having such length that its end projects outward beyond the end of the gland, and which is surrounded by the shell 3, which is provided upon opposite sides with lugs or ears 12, (shown in Fig. 2,) through which bolts are passed and tapped into the head or chest 1. Preferably this ring or sleeve is provided upon its interior with a central annulus of metal 13, einbodying the rod; but upon each side thereof is formed a seat for a packing-ring 14, and in the exterior face of said sleeve are formed longitudinal grooves 15, by which steam is conveyed to a double series ot radial openings 1G, piercing the wall of the sleeve in rear of each packin g-rin g, whereby each of said rings is pressed against the rod with a force proportioned to the steam-pressure exerted. Inasmuch,.however, as the sleeve may have a rotary movement in which the sectional ring et does not partake, and whereby the longitudinal channels of the one may break joints with the exterior grooves of the other, we form in the edge of the sleeve, at its lower end, a beveling-groove 17, whereby communication between the passages of the onemember and the grooves of the other is maintained undei all relative arrangements.

Upon the outer end of the sleeve or shelll is formed an extension or enlargement 1S, having an annular chamber 19,which closely surrounds the rod, and upon the upper side of this extension is mounted an oil-cup 20, by which the rod or stem is lubricated, while below or upon the opposite side or at such point that it may not interfere with said oil-cup is a set-screw 21. This set-screw, as will readily be seen, may be turned up against the rod or stem 9 to lock the same in position should the necessity therefor arise. For example, should an engine break down or become disabled it may be necessary to cover the ports and to lock the valve-stein in such position as to keep said ports covered, and the construction set forth enables us to accomplish this result.

To may dispense with certain parts of the construction described in order to accom modate the saine to different lengths and varying constructions oi' the rod or stem to which they are applied. For example, we may use a ring 22, which is in many respects similar to the ring 1. (Shown in Fig. 1.) It differs therefrom, however, in the following particulars: The ring 22 is of a greater length in an axial direction and is not onlygrooved internally to provide a seat for a packing-ring 23, similar to the ring 0, but is also provided with steam-passages 211- parallel to the axis and communicating with radial steamways 25, which enter the grooved seat for the ring 3 immediately behind said ring. The stealnpassages 2l are prolonged, however, to communicate with a separate series of steamways 26, which open into a seat containing a packing-ring or collar 27 of considerably greater width, which lies partlyinthe seat of the single sectional ring 22 and partly in an annular recess formed in the head ot the gland 28,whieh isin this case simply a shell or easing having lugs 2D by which it is attached to the cylin der or valve-chest, aud provided with an upwardly-turned flange 30, which closely surrounds the stem or rod. The collar or ring 27 extends to the inner face of thisimvardlyturned flange.

Substantially the same construction may be applied to old forms of construction in the manner shown in Fig. 7, wherein the seetional ring has substantially the same coustruction shown in Fig. 5, the principal diterence being that the packing-ring 27 terminates at the outer edge or end of the sectional ring instead of extending beyond the same. The ordinary form of chest or cylinder now in use is usually supplied with a cylindrical shell or casing 31, forming part of the stufiing-box, and within this shell the sectional ring is introduced, its concave or countersunk edge resting upon the head or wall of the valve-chest or cylinder, said ring being held in place by a gland 32, inserted within the shell 31 and held by bolts passing through lugs on the gland and tapped into the head of the chest.

In some cases, also, we may substitute for the construction described that shown in Fig. G, in which a ring or easing 33 of comparatively narrow width is substituted for the shell, easing, or gland 2S. The interior` ot' this ring or casin g is grooved to provide a seat for a packing-ring 34, similar to that shown in the sectional ring in Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 7, and steam-passages 35 are provided, having communication with radial ways 3G, opening behind the ring. In this modification the sectional ring is dispensed with, its parts being essentially embodied in the ring or casing 33. Lugs 37 are provided, whereby the ring may be secured upon the head of the cylinder or chest by means of bolts similar to those shown in Fig. 5.

There the gland or box is of unusual length, we may insert an additional sleeve or ring 3,

IOO

IIC

having a seat for a packing-ring, which may partly enter the end of the ring 4; but this additional ring is not essential, being simply used to extend the packing to accommodate various lengths. When used, it is provided with radial steamways communicating with the horizontal steam-channels, whereby steam is thrown into the ring-seat behind the ring, as in the other forms shownr The packing-ring 14 may be constructed in either of the ways shown in Figs. 8, 9, and lO, so that it will be capable of compression to produce a close packing either by the force of steam or by the power of an independent spring located in the body of the ring and acting thereon either alone orin conjunction with the compressing force of the steam. By providing these rings with long overlapping portions, as shown, the usual difficulty of breaking joints to prevent leakingis avoided,

and we can putthe rings in at random, because the long laps of each ring will always form a perfect joint and cause the rings to act substantially as solid rings, so far as preventing leaking through the joints is concerned, even when the force of the steam is extended behind the rings.

W'e prefer to make the small ring 6 of some material more flexible or pliable than metalsuch, for instance, as asbestus-and, if desired, we may use vulcabeston for the larger seats.

IV hat we claim as our invention is-' l. In a rod-packing, the combination, with a cylinder, valve-chest, or other pressurechamber, of a shell or casing surroundingthe rod or stenl and a sectional ring surrounding said rod and provided with a concave end seating upon the chest around the rod or stem and forming a chamber for the steam leaking around the rod, said ring being provided with an annular seat for a cleft packing-ring surrounding the rod and having longitudinal steam passages communicating with said chamber and with radial passages opening behind said packing-ring, substantially as described.

2. In a rod-packing, the combination, with a cylinder having an exterior shell or casing surrounding the rod or stem, of a sectional ring inserted therein around the rod and having an annular seat for a cleft packing-ring, said sectional ring being provided with steampassages communicating with a steam-chainber formed in the end of the ring which seats on the head of the chest and also with a series of radial steam-passages opening behind said cleft packing-ring, a sleeve or gland entering said casing and having its open end seating on the sectional ring, and one or more sleeve-rings contained within said sleeve, each having one or more separated seats for cleft packing-rings and provided also with steampassages between the rings and the sleeve, which have communication with radial steampassages opening behind the packing-rings, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the valve-chest l and a shell supported thereby, of the ring 4, held between the valve-chest and the shell and having the concave recess 5, the annular groove in its inner surface, the steam-openings 7, and the radial steam-passages 8, opening into the groove, the cleft ring 6, located. in said annular groove, and the cleft ring 14, encircling the rod 9, having overlapping extremities and bearing against the ring 4 at the side opposite the concave recess and collapsed by steam passing behind it through the steam-passages 7, substantially as described.

4. In a rod-packing, the combination, with a valve-chest or pressure-chamber, of a shell or casing formed or mounted thereon, a packingring contained within a suitable seat therein and cleft throughout half or nearly half its circumference, and a spring located within a recess in the solid portion of said ring and exerting its tension to close the same, substantially as described. y

In testimony whereof We have affixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

' FRANCIS P. MARTIN.

JOHN T. MARTIN.

Witnesses:

THos. J. DOLLARD, FRANCIS C. CUMMIVNGS. 

